O and M officials are working on the theory COVID restrictions will rule Wangaratta wizard Abraham Ankers out of Sunday's home blockbuster against Wangaratta Rovers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ankers lives in Alice Springs, which started a three-day lockdown on Wednesday at 1pm, as part of a red zone.
It was originally planned to run until 1pm today, but was brought forward to end on Friday lunchtime.
The latest information from the Victorian Government website reads:
- If you are a non-Victorian resident and you have been in a red zone since current red zones came into effect, other than for transit, you cannot obtain a permit and you cannot enter Victoria unless you have an exception or exemption. If you enter Victoria via a land border from a red zone without a valid permit, you will be sent back. If you enter Victoria at an airport/seaport from a red zone without a valid permit, you will be fined and stay in Hotel Quarantine until return transport is arranged.
In short, if you have been in a red zone after June 25 and returning to Victoria, you must isolate for 14 days.
The affable Ankers is an enormously popular player with the Pies and has shown a mature attitude to the dilemma.
"Look, I haven't heard that I can't play, we're waiting on the Victorian Government to make a call, obviously Alice Springs has been a red zone so I wouldn't play in that circumstance, but I'm not sure if that changes seeing as though we've just out of lockdown," he suggested around 1pm yesterday, just after lockdown.
"But neither the Magpies or myself would ever break the rules, the safety and well-being of the Australian community is much more important than me playing footy.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News
The safety and well-being of the Australian community is much more important than me playing footy.
- Abraham Ankers
"The club and I have always said if I can't legally play due to COVID, then I certainly wouldn't do that."
Ankers has had a series of COVID tests and always returned negative results, while he was due to receive his second and final Pfizer vaccination jab on Friday, July 3.
IN OTHER NEWS:
